I just purchased a klong yaw (klon yaw, glawng yao, etc.) from "Lark in the Morning."  It's 30" long with an 8" head.  It's not the Remo variety typically seen, but something more of a native design - single-piece Thai Oak, calf-skin head, ash/rice paint on skin.  Beautifully made, but I'm dissappointed with the sound so far.  I know the Thai style tunes these down, but I don't think they're supposed to be tuned quite this low.  The skin depresses very easily in the center, and the sound is just flat.  The pulls feel tight and are made of nylon, so I know it didn't just loosen in shipping.  Anybody know how to tighten these?  There are 6 groups of strings arranged in V's around the head symmetrically.  The rim is sharp and there is very little difference in head diameter and drum diameter (8" head vs. 9.5" drum).  I'm concerned that excessive tightening would just rip the edge of the skin without actually tightening it.  I'm also planning to play this drum as I would a djembe.  Any experience playing these drums?  Is the djembe style appropriate?

I tried the Mali-weave on my Klong Yaw.  I've never done the weave before, but it was remarkably easy (this for anyone out there thinking about it).  I put one row in and the drum sounds much better.  I'm enjoying it thoroughly now!  The drum plays similarly to a djembe, but not exactly like it.  Slaps are attained in the center (exact center for best amplification) and bass hits seem best when using a cupped hand with center directly within your palm.